Foot-protector.



J. L. THORNBURY.

FOOT PRUTECTOB.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAB. 14, 1911.

Patented Aug. 15,1911.

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ppn SAT JESSE L. THORNBURY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

FOOT-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A110. 15, 1'911.

Application filed. March 14, 1911. Serial No. 614,454.

To all whom it may concer/n;

Be it known that I, Jnssn L. TI-IORNBURY, citizen-of the United States, residing at Spckane', in the county of Spokane and State of 1V ashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to foot protectors and has for its object to provide a device whereby the pressure of a shoe or boot may be taken from a particular place upon the foot of a person. y

The invention consists of the novel oonstruction of a tension spring provided with teeth and shoulders adapted to engage the sole and side and top of the shoe upon the inside thereof in such a manner as to expand the shoe and hold the same away from or lessen the pressure upon a particular portion of the foot, especially desirable and useful in case of corns, bunions, or other inflamed or injured portions of the foot that are aggravated or injured by too close a Contact with the shoe walls.

1 have shown the application of the device in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a cross section of a shoe showing the application of the device for the expanding of the shoe at one side thereof, Fig. 2 is a cross section of a shoe showing the application of the device for the expanding of the shoe at the top thereof, Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the device so constructed as to serve the purposes illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 4L is a top plan view of the same, Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the device so constructed as to serve the purposes illustrated in Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same.

A stiff metal spring 10 has one horizontal flat portion adapted to tit the inner surface of the sole 11 of a shoe and teeth 12 at one end thereof adapted for cutting into the sole of the shoe as at 13. A shoulder 14 between the teeth 12 is adapted to rest against the inner surface of the sole 11. Another portion of the spring 10 is bent to a position approximately at right angles with the former portion and adapted for engagement with the inner side of the shoe top 15 as at 16, shown in Fig. 1. This latter portion may be bent to such a position as to adapt the same to reach along the side of and to a position on the inner surface of the top of the shoe 15 as at 17, shown in Fig. 2. One or more teeth 18 may be provided at the opposite end of the spring as at 19 for cutting engagement with the top of the shoe 15 in order to retain the spring 10 more permanently in a predetermined position.

When it is desired to use the device for expanding a shoe at a predetermined place to relieve the pressure upon some particular portion of the foot it is calculated that the spring may be compressed and anchored on the inner surface of the sole and top of the shoe as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the outward pressure of the spring will carry with it the top or the side of the shoe adjacent to the place on the foot intended to be relieved with the approximate result shown in Fig. 1 whereby the shoe top is sprung from the position shown by the dotted line 21 to the line 22.

It is manifest that the details of construction of the spring as to length, and amount of the curve or curves may be varied to suit the size of the shoe or boot and the particular portion thereof that it is desired should be expanded.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a foot protector, a Hat stiff metal spring with one portion provided with teeth and a shoulder at one end thereof and another portion bent to a position approximately at right angles with the former portion and provided with teeth at the end thereof, the whole adapted for rigid engagement with the inner surface of a shoe at a predetermined position.

2. 1n a foot protector, a flat stiff metal spring with oneportion provided with teeth and a shoulder at one end thereof and another portion bent to a position approximately at right angles with the former portion, the whole adapted for rigid engagement with the inner surface of a shoe at a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE L. THORNBURY. fitnesses C. B. BRADFORD, E. M. ENGsTRoM.

Copies of4 this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

